Section 3 only defines ‘Relevant Facts’ as one fact is relevant to another when one is connected to the other in the manner provided under section 6 to 55 of the Act. It means facts which are needed to prove or disprove a fact in issue.These facts are not the main issue of controversy between the parties,rather they are evidentiary facts which helps to draw an inference about the circumstances of the fact in issue.
RELEVANCY OF FACTS :- Relevancy of facts in Evidence Act means connection of two events as cause and effect.So,it is a connection between two facts such that the existence of one fact makes the existence of other fact probable or improbable.This is called logical relevance based on deductive reasoning.Relevancy of fact is that under which the fact that is related to fact in issue or relevant fact in one or the other way specified in Indian Evidence Act.
Indian Evidence Act does not recognise all facts which are logically relevant.It allows the party to prove only those facts which are expressly declared as relevant under section 6 to 55 of the Indian Evidence Act.
Section 5 says that evidence is to be given only for fact in issue and relevant fact and nothing else.So,only legally relevant facts,are allowed to be proved and not logically relevant fact.Facts which are logically relevant may not be necessarily legally relevant.Facts which are legally relevant is also logically relevant but not vice versa.Question of relevancy is a question of law and it can be raised at any stage in the proceedings.
ADMISSIBILITY OF FACTS :- Admissibility of facts is based on strict legal rules rather than logical reasoning.It relates to the permissibility of the evidence to prove a particular fact in any proceeding.
Admissibility of facts provides the mode of proving fact in issue or relevant fact.It tells whether certain types of evidences are admissible or are to be excluded.Like,section 5 of the Act provides that evidence for proving only fact in issue and relevant fact are allowed.This is further strengthened by reading Proviso to section 165 which provides that judgment of the court should be based on relevant facts which are duly proved.
Section 136 of the Act says that the court shall admit any evidence and allow it to be duly proved,if the court is satisfied that the fact, if duly proved,would be relevant.So,it appears that all admissible facts are necessarily relevant.
Admissibility presupposes relevancy.Admissible evidence should be received by the court unless and until there is a legal reason for its rejection.
So,Admissibility of facts and relevancy of facts are neither co-extensive nor synonymous,the former being based on probative force and logical reasoning and the latter is based on legal policy or legal rules.All admissible facts are relevant but all relevant facts are not admissible.